:Look, It’s a Sublimation Formation!

Located in the crater Eminescu, this high-resolution image shows part of the
mountainous peak ring, as well as an example of the extensive formation of hollows
located within the crater. Hollows maintain an air of mystery in the realm of planetary
science. Though the exact formation mechanism is unknown, most scientists agree
sublimation of volatiles holds the answer. This image highlights the prevalence of these
hollows on and around the peak ring, as well as captures the beauty of such enigmatic
formations.

This image was acquired as a high-resolution targeted observation. Targeted
observations are images of a small area on Mercury’s surface at resolutions much
higher than the 200-meter/pixel morphology base map. It is not possible to cover
Mercury’s entire surface at this high resolution, but typically several areas of high
scientific interest are imaged in this mode each week.